Whether you’ve brought in a driver or an apprentice to help out with a higher workload, or you employ dozens of people, becoming an employer is a great sign that your business is growing, and it’s an opportunity to do things better than before.
When you are an employer you are required, by law, to do certain things to look after your employees in a number of different areas.
WHAT ARE MY RESPONSIBILITIES?
Below are seven things that it is essential you do when employing people:
Get insured – all employers are required by law to have employers’ liability insurance.
Decide on pay – this must be at least the National Minimum Wage, and should be a suitable rate for the value of the work they carry out.
Carry out employment checks – you have to make sure they have the legal right to work in the UK.
Check if you need to apply for a DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service) check – this can be a requirement if you work with vulnerable people.
Send employee information – you need to send your employee written details of the job, if you’re employing them for more than one month. They may also need a contract and other paperwork to detail the rules around their employment.
Tell the tax man – you must tell HMRC that you’re employing someone, up to four weeks before you start paying your new employee.
Pension auto-enrolment – by law, all employers are required to automatically enrol their eligible employees into a workplace pension scheme, unless the employee chooses to opt out.
Your employees are representatives of your business and will have a huge influence on how it performs on a day-to-day basis. Making sure they are looked after properly isn’t just a legal requirement – it makes sense for building good relationships with your team and ensuring they feel valued.
Want more? Read our guide to dealing with unhappy customers here.
Can we help you?
If you need business insurance of any kind, we can help. Request a quote and we’ll get in touch to give you a competitive price.
